Portable clothes dryer



March 18, 1969 A. H. x-:lcHHoLz 3,432,939; PORTABLE CLOTHES DRYER Filed Nev. 25, 196e sheet ef e F151 FEE e l Al "la Z March 18, 1969 A. H. EICHHOLZ PORTABLE CLOTHES DRYER Sheet Filed NOV. 23, 1965 FUSE United States Patent O 3,432,939 PORTABLE CLOTHES DRYER Arthur H. Eichholz, Polo, Ill., assignor to Central Quality Industries, Inc., a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 596,660 U.S. Cl. 34-151 Int. Cl. F2611 19/00 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to clothes drying devices and more particularly to a portable clothes drying device which is intended for use in drying a small number of garments at a time.

A large segment of todays society spends a great deal of time in transit. More and more businessmen are engaged in travel in their normal scope of business duties. In addition, families have greater opportunities to take advantage of vacation time and travel to points distant from their home. In such travel, lodging may be obtained at commercial establishments, such as motels and hotels, or families may utilize the ever more popular camping sites which are provided throughout the country. During such periods of travel, it is often desirable that some garments, especially more formal items `of attire such as dress shirts, dresses, andthe like, be occasionally subjected to washing to clean these garments and improve their appearance. This is especially true since people who travel generally take along a limited number of changes of clothes, thus requiring that some clothes be washed during transit in order to look neat and presentable.

With the advent of the development of fabrics which are commonly referred to as drip dry or permanent press, there is a greater opportunity for refreshing individual garments by rewashing the Same while in a traveling situation. However, frequently these garments do not dry quickly merely by exposure to atmosphere and even so, when dry, do not look quite Aas neat as would be the case if subjected to a blowing, drying action. In addition, standard fabrics from which dresses or shirts may be made will look neater and be easier to press if allowed to dry to a dampened condition after being subjected to a blowing, drying action.

Thus there is a need for a small garment drying apparatus which is especially suitable for use in drying a limited number of garments and which is adaptable for traveling situations. Such an apparatus should be suitable for use as an extra implement carried by travelers or as an extra appliance offered for use by a commercial lodging institution, such as a motel or hotel.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a new portable garment drying device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a garment drying device especially suited for use in drying a limited number of garments.

A further object of this invention is to provide an mproved garment drying device which may be collapsed to a compact configuration when not in use, making it portable.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present in- 3,432,939 Patented Mar. 18, 1969 vention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the garment drying device of this invention shown in an operational position extended for use;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section view through the garment device of this invention showing it set up for use with a garment hanging inside and being subjected to a drying action thereby;

FIGURE 3 is a section view of the bottom of the garment drying device taken generally `along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4- is a section view of the bottom of the garment drying device taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a frgamentary section view of the bottom portion of the garment drying device taken generally along the line 5--5 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the clothes drying device 10 of this invention is intended for use in drying a limited number of individual garments 12. The device includes a top 14, a base generally indicated 16, and an intermediate collapsible bag structure generally indicated 18 connected to the top and base. The bag 18 is provided with a zipper along one side (not shown) to provide for access to the interior of the bag for the insertion of clothes into and withdrawal from the interior.

The base 16 is preferably formed of a generally rigid material, such as a suitable metal or hard plastic or the like, and includes a bottom panel 20 and a plurality of upstanding walls 22a, 22b, 22C fand 22d. A partition 24 extends between side walls 22a and 22e` slightly inwardly from side wall 22b. A base member top wall 26 extends from partition 24 rand side wall 22d between side walls 22a and 22e. Top wall 26 is provided with a generally centrally located opening 26a for a purpose to be described later.

Between partition 24 and side wall 22b, a space 28 s provided in which an on-oi switch 30 is located and from which an electrical outlet cord 32 may be extended to a suitable receptacle for connection to a source of electrical power. In the alternative, this space could be utilized for the placement of energy cells, such as batteries, which could be utilized to drive the electrical components of the device.

The bottom wall 20 of base member 16 is provided with a plurality of small stub-like legs 34 for holding the bottom wall spaced from a supporting surface. A vent 36 is formed along one edge of the bottom Wall for permitting the circulation of air into the interior of the base member. A heater element 38 is aiixed to the interior of one side wall, such as 22e, in general vertical alignment with the vent 36 formed in the bottom wall 20.

A blower 40 is positioned in the interior of base 16, such as by mounting to the underside of the top 20` by suitable fastening means 41. Blower has an exhaust port 42 which extends into the central opening 26a of top wall 26. When the blower motor is actuated, air will be drawn through vent 36 past heater element 38 and blown into the interior of bag 18 as generally indicated by the arrows in FIGURES 2 and 5.

The exterior of top 26 has a stepped recess providing irst horizontal wall surface 44 which terminates in shoulder 46, and second horizontal 4wall surface 48, spaced inwardly from wall surface 44 and terminating in top surface 50. A removable drip tray 52 having a central sleeve 54 nestably seats between wall surface 48 and top surface 50 so as to recive moisture which may descend from a wet garment hung in the interior of the bag. The central sleeve 54 telescopes around blower motor port Cef 42 and is an operational extension thereof for directing heated air into the interior of bag 18.

-Bag 18 is secured to the base 16 by means of a plurality f thin, elongate bars 56a, 56h, 56C and 56d which are positioned against the interior of 1bag 18 in the area of horizontal wall portion 44 and secured to wall portion 44 by fastening means 58.

Top 14 is also provided with a generally centrally positioned downwardly opening recess 60. rI`he bag is secured to the inside of recess 60 in a fashion similar to the securement with the base 16 in that a plurality of bars `62 are positioned against the interior of bag 18 and secured to the interior of recess 66 by fastening means 64.

An exhaust vent 66 is formed in top 14 to provide a passage for the of air outwardly from the interior of bag 18. The exterior of top 14 is provided with a handle 68 which may be used for carrying the device around when it is collapsed and not in use, and which may also be used for hanging the clothes drying device from a hook or the like during periods of use. The interior of the top may be provided with a supporting rod 70 so that a hanger 72 on which garment 12 is hung may be hooked thereover. Also, a humidistat control means 74 may be provided on the exterior of the top 14 and connected to the motor by suitable electric means (not shown) for deactivating the motor and heating element independently of the setting of switch 30 responsive to temperature and humidity conditions in the interior of bag 18.

The exterior of the sides of top 14 are provided with first fastening elements 76 and the exterior of the sides 22b and 22d of base 16 are provided with second fastening elements 78 which are intended for locking engagement with fastening elements 76 so that when the clothes drying device is not in use it may be collapsed with the bag 18 folded up within the recesses of the top and bottom components and the top 14 locked to the bottom 16 to provide a compact, easily transportable unit.

In operation, the top 14 is unlatched from the base 16 and withdrawn therefrom as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 so that the bag is fully extended to provide an enclosed chamber of a size and shape to receive a garment. The dryer may be hung up on a suitable hook or the like by means of handle 68. A garment is then placed in the interior of the bag and, after the cord 32 is connected to a source of electrical power, switch 30 is placed in the on position t-o activate the heater element and blower. This will cause air to be drawn through the vent at the bottom of the base, past the heating element where it is warmed and into the interior of the bag for drying the garment. The heated air continues in this path of travel past the garment and out of the vent in the top. When the garment is dry, it may be removed from the bag and the top and bottom drawn together to collapse the bag, there- -by forming a compact unit which may be easily carried about and transported by the traveler or from room to room of a commercial lodging facility.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understandng only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A portable clothes drying apparatus comprising a top; a substantially rigid base; a collapsible wall means interconnecting said top and base and forming a substantialy closed clothes drying chamber thereby; the base including a bottom wall and an upper wall spaced from the bottom wall forming a blower housing thereby; air inlet means in the base; a heating element in the base in the path of air ilow through the air inlet means; and a blower in the base for drawing air through the air inlet means and past the heating element, the blower having an exhaust port positioned to direct heated air upwardly into the clothes drying chamber; an aperture in the upper wall of the base in the path of flow of heated air from the blower exhaust port through which the heated air is fed into the clothes drying chamber; and a drip tray removably positioned on the upper wall of the base for receiving moisture collected from clothes drying in the drying chamber, the drip tray having an aperture in communication with the aperture of the upper member of the base.

2. The portable clothes drying apparatus 4of claim 1 wherein the drip tray aperture is in registration with the aperture of the upper member of the base.

3. The clothes drying apparatus of claim 2 wherein the top of the clothes drying apparatus is provided with an exhaust vent therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,618,076 11/1952 Miller S4-163 2,850,810 9/1958 Lyons et al 34-163 3,190,012 `6/1965 Gray 34-151 3,280,477 10/1966 Rawlins 34-151 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, Primary Examiner.

H. B. RAMEY, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 34-218 

